Having designed a sidesaddle bicycle, I belatedly discovered the obvious. If you’re seated facing left, like a proper lady, it’s very hard to turn right. And it is very very easy to fall over backwards. The solution to both problems is to add a second person, sitting right sidesaddle, back to back with the first person. Now each person – each peddler – views half the road ahead, and controls one half of the handlebar. Democracy in action. The technical part: the rotary motion of the peddlers is turned ninety degrees by a simple right angle gearbox. Weight balancing of the two peddlers is achieved by adjusting the dual seat laterally. I’m riding it now with my SO. Back to back, I can feel his lats contract and release, his glutes pumping rhythmically, our breathing now synchronized...ahhhhh...ahhhhh...ahhhhh... ...oh...sorry.-- pluterday, May 28 2003 1897 Punnett Companion http://www.bicyclem...com/Html/bike5.htmlbikes for two have been around for a while! [Vernon, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004] Sidesaddle bicycles seem half-baked enough in the first place. Why, oh, why?-- DrCurry, May 28 2003 Whew, I'm getting sweaty. Where's the bike with the seats facing each other?-- phoenix, May 28 2003 Why not simply turn the saddle so it faces..err..right and you face forwards? Not as much fun, I know, but allows you to regain your independance.
(+) for the visual.-- egbert, May 28 2003 I would hate to be stuck with a fella twice (or half, for that matter) my size on one of these!
Definitely an interesting concept... gives a view of the World we would usually ignore while pedalling on the normal bicycle.
And it would be a good trust-building exercise for couples therapy. [+]-- joker_of_the_deck, May 28 2003 me thinks that with all that extra power <pluterday> could transfer some power to a fan. that would not only cool off its victims but also aid in propelling the craft. (sorry for the pun)-- I2RI, May 28 2003 random, halfbakery